Google this week added support for HTML5 playback of videos in its own Chrome browser as well as Safari from Apple. The new feature allows users to watch video without the longstanding Internet standard: Adobe Flash.

YouTube's HTML5 support is offered through a beta opt-in program and is currently only available with browsers that support both HTML5 and H.264 video encoding.

This limits the beta to Google's Chrome and Apple's Safari browsers. Microsoft's Internet Explorer is also supported if Google's Chrome Frame is installed.

The HTML5 player fully replaces the Flash player for most videos on the site, but some limitations do exist. Videos with advertisements are currently not supported, and will play instead in the Flash player. Fullscreen playback is also not yet supported.

YouTube refers to the opt-in as "an experiment" and welcomes feedback from the community on its HTML5 integration.

HTML5 allows video to be rendered natively inside the browser, as opposed to Flash which requires a browser plug-in to be installed.

Flash is still not supported on Apple's iPhone. Major sites that use Flash for video on the web, including YouTube, CBS Mobile, and the BBC, now push standard H.264 video to the iPhone directly.

Beginning Thursday, video site Vimeo also will begin to support HTML5 playback. Playback using the HTML 5 standard is available on the same browsers that YouTube supports: Chrome, Safari, and IE with Chrome Frame.

For more, read AppleInsider's Flash Wars series:

Adobe in the History and Future of Flash [Part 1 of 3]
The Many Enemies and Obstacles of Flash [Part 2 of 3]
Adobe Fights for AIR with the Open Screen Project [Part 3 of 3]

This is a step in the right direction. I'm tired of flash being around. I've disabled flash completely in my browsers so I don't have to deal with it any more. If the site doesn't support regular html sites, than I don't visit them. No more popup ads populating 90% of my screen with a close button the size of an atom. You can do that with modern javascript libraries as well, but I only see it in flash for some reason.

Either way, I feel flash has really gone down hill in the last few years. Really ever since the main javascript libraries have been more stable and feature complete. I hope this sends a clear message to people who want flash work done.

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The reason why they are analysts is because they failed at running businesses.

Does the iPhone's Safari browser do HTML5? I know the iPhone has a YouTube app, so it doesn't matter for this, but for every other site out there that offers video who want to offer it on iPhone, will they be encouraged to offer it in HTML5?

I've un-checked "Enable plug-ins" in my MacBook Pro's Safari preferences. Flash causes the MBP to run very hot and cuts its battery life by about 75% (from nearly 5 hours down to barely over 1 hour.) Plus, I no longer need to see all those banner ads.

And the best thing: no more lengthy time-wasting Flash-damaged splash pages. No more frantic search for the all-important "Skip Intro" button.

I think Flash for Mac OS has gone downhill recently because Adobe wants to strike back at Apple. For releasing Aperture (a Lightroom competitor), for adding photo touch-up features to iPhoto (competing against Photoshop), for heavily promoting QuickTime (a Flash competitor), for promoting web-based applications such as MobileMe (which don't use Flash), and for adding Preview to Mac OS X (an Acrobat competitor.)

So, since Apple and Adobe have orthogonal goals, Adobe must be doing the passive-aggressive routine. "OK, so you don't like Flash? Well, here's a version that we're SURE you won't like."

I'd be surprised if the Apple tablet device supports Flash. And if it doesn't, iPhone OS 4.0 won't either, since I'm expecting the tablet and 4th-gen iPhone to run virtually the same OS.

YES!!!!!! Finallly flash is the worst video playback program ever made in the history of the universe. If we can move the web away from it I would be greatful. I think even MS Silverlight is better then Flash. I will switch over as soon as possible, and will be anxiousely waiting for the FF version.

Flash eats away at my macbooks battery. I would have a 90% battery, and after watching a 10 minute youtube clip I would be down to 77%. (I can watch a 40 min video in VLC and be down to about the same battery percentage. Not to metion Google maps street view, which can kill off my macbook in 30 minutes. I don't know if this is as bad on windows, I think its not as bad, my macbook just can't handle flash.

I put YouTube.com in my ClickToFfash whitelist, then opted-in on the YouTube HTML5 beta. I checked the Activity Monitor while playing a news video, and the CPU usage for both cores hovered at about a steady 20%. I did not see any spikes above the aforementioned CPU usage. The CPU is a Core 2 Duo and there is 4GB memory installed, SL is at 10.6.2, and Safari is at 4.04.

This is great. My only question is how do I do a full uninstall of Adobe Flash? LOL.

If you use Safari, then Click to Flash is the way to go. Flash is good for other things besides video and ads. More options are better than fewer so deleting Flash simply as a protest against Adobe is the classic case of cutting off nose to spite the face. I wish I could show you the very cool applications we have done in the medical research field. But instead I always point to Google's stock market finance application. Until someone can replicate that in HTML5, 6 or whatever, there is nothing that can replace the more advanced features set of Actionscript 3.

If you use Safari, then Click to Flash is the way to go. Flash is good for other things besides video and ads. More options are better than fewer so deleting Flash simply as a protest against Adobe is the classic case of cutting off nose to spite the face. I wish I could show you the very cool applications we have done in the medical research field. But instead I always point to Google's stock market finance application. Until someone can replicate that in HTML5, 6 or whatever, there is nothing that can replace the more advanced features set of Actionscript 3.

I have to disagree, with flash having a good use. Flash is just another attempt at lowest common denominator crap like JAVA. I am not a fan. I like properly written code for the platform. Just my 2 cents

While the saving are clear when streaming video, other features of HTML5 arent as coder and resource friendly. Flash still has plenty of benefits outside of the video streaking arena. Luckily for us, its the most important feature of Flash. I dont think Flash can survive the next 4 years as the dominate player with Google, Apple, MS and open standards all working to bring them down.

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Originally Posted by dak splunder

Does the iPhone's Safari browser do HTML5? I know the iPhone has a YouTube app, so it doesn't matter for this, but for every other site out there that offers video who want to offer it on iPhone, will they be encouraged to offer it in HTML5?

Yes. Not an issue with YouTube, but now that Vimeo is following suit there should be others making the move, too. There are just too many reasons not use it. Besides the resources and battery savings the uptake with smartphones is huge yet I think only Maemo-based devices can play these videos in Flash.

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Originally Posted by mstone

If you use Safari, then Click to Flash is the way to go. Flash is good for other things besides video and ads. More options are better than fewer so deleting Flash simply as a protest against Adobe is the classic case of cutting off nose to spite the face. I wish I could show you the very cool applications we have done in the medical research field. But instead I always point to Google's stock market finance application. Until someone can replicate that in HTML5, 6 or whatever, there is nothing that can replace the more advanced features set of Actionscript 3.

Check out Google Maps in a browser. The only aspect that looks to use Flash is Street View. I dont know how it compares to the Financial graph, but it looks pretty involved to me.
The other aspect that looks to use Flash is Street View. For example, the ability to reroute on the fly by dragging the path on the map to a different road looks pretty complex.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

YES!!!!!! Finallly flash is the worst video playback program ever made in the history of the universe. If we can move the web away from it I would be greatful. I think even MS Silverlight is better then Flash. I will switch over as soon as possible, and will be anxiousely waiting for the FF version.

Flash eats away at my macbooks battery. I would have a 90% battery, and after watching a 10 minute youtube clip I would be down to 77%. (I can watch a 40 min video in VLC and be down to about the same battery percentage. Not to metion Google maps street view, which can kill off my macbook in 30 minutes. I don't know if this is as bad on windows, I think its not as bad, my macbook just can't handle flash.

thanks for the tip, i just disabled plugins and my safari without that flash crap is at least twice as fast as before

I have to disagree, with flash having a good use. Flash is just another attempt at lowest common denominator crap like JAVA. I am not a fan. I like properly written code for the platform. Just my 2 cents

Thanks for your reply. I'd welcome the opportunity to discuss the finer points in the Flash vs. HTML5 debate but in your case, if you are going to react in such an emotional uniformed illogical manner that would clearly be impossible.

Does the iPhone's Safari browser do HTML5? I know the iPhone has a YouTube app, so it doesn't matter for this, but for every other site out there that offers video who want to offer it on iPhone, will they be encouraged to offer it in HTML5?

The MLB.com At Bat app has been using HTML5 to stream video since last summer.

Thanks for your reply. I'd welcome the opportunity to discuss the finer points in the Flash vs. HTML5 debate but in your case, if you are going to react in such an emotional uniformed illogical manner that would clearly be impossible.

This is an Apple forum, so reacting in an emotional uniformed illogical manner is par for the course. ZOMG!!! M$ Windoze, Apple is right about everything!!! Thank you sir may I have another!! We've always been at war with East Asia!

If you use Safari, then Click to Flash is the way to go. Flash is good for other things besides video and ads. More options are better than fewer so deleting Flash simply as a protest against Adobe is the classic case of cutting off nose to spite the face. I wish I could show you the very cool applications we have done in the medical research field. But instead I always point to Google's stock market finance application. Until someone can replicate that in HTML5, 6 or whatever, there is nothing that can replace the more advanced features set of Actionscript 3.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mstone

Thanks for your reply. I'd welcome the opportunity to discuss the finer points in the Flash vs. HTML5 debate but in your case, if you are going to react in such an emotional uniformed illogical manner that would clearly be impossible.

Dude, relax. How can you say that to me, I was just stating an opinion. WOW.

YES!!!!!! Finallly flash is the worst video playback program ever made in the history of the universe. If we can move the web away from it I would be greatful. I think even MS Silverlight is better then Flash. I will switch over as soon as possible, and will be anxiousely waiting for the FF version.

Flash eats away at my macbooks battery. I would have a 90% battery, and after watching a 10 minute youtube clip I would be down to 77%. (I can watch a 40 min video in VLC and be down to about the same battery percentage. Not to metion Google maps street view, which can kill off my macbook in 30 minutes. I don't know if this is as bad on windows, I think its not as bad, my macbook just can't handle flash.

Adobe is a piece of work, for years they've neglected properly optimizing Flash to run on Macs. I say good ridance, native browser support in HTML5 is just what the doctor ordered, no more buggy, laggy, jittery, poorly coded junkware.

Vimeo is also releasing the beta of its HTML5 player. I like Vimeo much better than YouTube. The quality of the content as well as the quality of the video is far better. Full screen Youtube video looks like shite. Full screen Vimeo is far superior.

(snip) ...but instead I always point to Google's stock market finance application. Until someone can replicate that in HTML5, 6 or whatever, there is nothing that can replace the more advanced features set of Actionscript 3.

That's not a bad app, and if well written Flash apps can be very clever - but I just pushed some graphs around in that Google app and my poor Air's processor usage shot up to 50%. I mean, come on. There's no need for that.

NME Radio's music player totally crashes my Air after about 20 minutes of playback; memory usage suddenly goes through the roof and the machine becomes all but unusable.

I have no inherent dislike of Flash per-se, but I'm just not going to use a product that is such a dirty resource hog. I use ClickToFlash and only enable individual Flash items when absolutely necessary.

Its really the other way around Firefox doesn't support h.264 video tags. They need to get with the program or get left behind.

Firefox lost this battle before it was even begun. H.264 is so far ahead of the game its futile to fight against it.

I agree we don't want technology dominated by a bunch of proprietary software that all works in the direct service of corporations. At the same time I don't believe the litmus test of all software should be its open source cred. In the end the best software should win.

Simply because software is patented and royalties have to be paid for its use does not automatically make it bad. H.264 isn't owned by anyone company. Its the creation of collaborators who are actively working to make it the best most flexible codec.

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Originally Posted by JavaCowboy

Looks like Firefox isn't supported because it's an open source project that can't pay royalties on the patent-encumbered H.264 codec.